By Alan M. Petrillo
Most fire departments around the country respond to vehicle crash calls where occupants often need to be extricated using hydraulic rescue tools.
While human-powered tools are available on rescues, trucks, and pumpers, it’s most often the hosed hydraulic and battery-operated tools that are used to perform the extraction. In response to vehicles made with higher strength materials, and with an aim toward making rescue tools more ergonomic and easier to use, hydraulic tool manufacturers have come up with new and improved designs to aid firefighters.
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| 1 The Hurst Jaws of Life Generation 2 eDRAULIC SP310E2 spreader, left, and S700E2 cutter use improved battery technology that gets 40 percent more amp hours than previously from the same size battery. (Photo courtesy of Hurst Jaws of Life.) |
Power, Speed, and Weight
Chris Jaques, president of IDEX Rescue, says that most of the innovation for Hurst Jaws of Life hydraulic rescue tools has been driven by the need for power and speed. “Cars have challenged the tools of 20 years ago, so we have to stay ahead of them, which means the power to cut and spread the latest in high-strength steels,” Jaques says. “In terms of speed, it’s how fast the tool runs but also with our eDRAULIC battery-operated hydraulic tools how fast they can be deployed.”
The preference for hosed or battery-operated hydraulic rescue tools is dependent on the fire department, Jacques says. “Some very traditional departments are very happy with hose-bound tools, while others prefer to use battery-operated tools. However, the trend is toward the battery-operated tools.”
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| 2 The S700E2 cutter made by Hurst Jaws of Life weighs 48.1 pounds, is 36.2 inches long, and is 11.7 inches wide. (Photo courtesy of Hurst Jaws of Life.) |
The most popular grouping of hydraulic tools is a cutter, spreader, and ram, Jacques points out, although if budget is an issue, a department might choose a combi tool to get started and then add other tools as budgeting permits.
Hurst is launching two new spreader tools, Jaques says, the SP333, a 24-inch spreader, and the SP555, a 28-inch model. These complement the company’s eDRAULIC line of the SP310E2 spreader; the S700E2 and S311E2 cutters; the SC357E2 and SC250E2 combi tools; and the newly released StrongArm™, a tool designed with interchangeable tips for tactical rescue, breaching, or rapid intervention.
Fran Dunigan, marketing manager for Holmatro Inc., says his company’s biggest innovations recently have been in its spreaders, “where we have drastically cut the weight of our entire line of spreaders, developing a new 5000 series.” Dunigan points out that Holmatro is reducing the weight of its cutter line too, “with a more efficient application of power, greater ergonomics, and less weight.”
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Posted: Aug 1, 2016
By Alan M. Petrillo
Most fire departments around the country respond to vehicle crash calls where occupants often need to be extricated using hydraulic rescue tools.
While human-powered tools are available on rescues, trucks, and pumpers, it’s most often the hosed hydraulic and battery-operated tools that are used to perform the extraction. In response to vehicles made with higher strength materials, and with an aim toward making rescue tools more ergonomic and easier to use, hydraulic tool manufacturers have come up with new and improved designs to aid firefighters.
|
| 1 The Hurst Jaws of Life Generation 2 eDRAULIC SP310E2 spreader, left, and S700E2 cutter use improved battery technology that gets 40 percent more amp hours than previously from the same size battery. (Photo courtesy of Hurst Jaws of Life.) |
Power, Speed, and Weight
Chris Jaques, president of IDEX Rescue, says that most of the innovation for Hurst Jaws of Life hydraulic rescue tools has been driven by the need for power and speed. “Cars have challenged the tools of 20 years ago, so we have to stay ahead of them, which means the power to cut and spread the latest in high-strength steels,” Jaques says. “In terms of speed, it’s how fast the tool runs but also with our eDRAULIC battery-operated hydraulic tools how fast they can be deployed.”
The preference for hosed or battery-operated hydraulic rescue tools is dependent on the fire department, Jacques says. “Some very traditional departments are very happy with hose-bound tools, while others prefer to use battery-operated tools. However, the trend is toward the battery-operated tools.”
|
| 2 The S700E2 cutter made by Hurst Jaws of Life weighs 48.1 pounds, is 36.2 inches long, and is 11.7 inches wide. (Photo courtesy of Hurst Jaws of Life.) |
The most popular grouping of hydraulic tools is a cutter, spreader, and ram, Jacques points out, although if budget is an issue, a department might choose a combi tool to get started and then add other tools as budgeting permits.
Hurst is launching two new spreader tools, Jaques says, the SP333, a 24-inch spreader, and the SP555, a 28-inch model. These complement the company’s eDRAULIC line of the SP310E2 spreader; the S700E2 and S311E2 cutters; the SC357E2 and SC250E2 combi tools; and the newly released StrongArm™, a tool designed with interchangeable tips for tactical rescue, breaching, or rapid intervention.
Fran Dunigan, marketing manager for Holmatro Inc., says his company’s biggest innovations recently have been in its spreaders, “where we have drastically cut the weight of our entire line of spreaders, developing a new 5000 series.” Dunigan points out that Holmatro is reducing the weight of its cutter line too, “with a more efficient application of power, greater ergonomics, and less weight.”
Read more
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